Orlando Museum of Art names Francisco Masó as winner of the 2026 Florida Prize in Contemporary Art

The annual Florida Prize exhibition is now on view at OMA through August 23 and features 12 Florida-based artists and collaborative duos.

Photography by Zaire Aranguren, Rheo Creative

The Orlando Museum of Art (OMA) recently announced Francisco Masó as the recipient of the 2026 Florida Prize in Contemporary Art, an esteemed $20,000 award recognizing the bold vision, originality and creative excellence of artists living and working in Florida. This year’s prize winner was selected by juror Jade Powers, The Hugh Kaul Curator of Contemporary Art at the Birmingham Museum of Art.

The 12th annual Florida Prize in Contemporary Art exhibition, curated by OMA chief curator Coralie Claeysen-Gleyzon and associate curator Katherine Page, showcases 12 artists, including two collaborative duos, whose works span a wide range of mediums and capture the vibrant and diverse cultural fabric of Florida. 

“No matter who wins the Prize, everyone is a winner. You’ve all gone above and beyond. It’s really inspiring to see, so thank you all for sharing your work,” said Claeysen-Gleyzon.

Masó was recognized with the $20,000 prize for The Coronation of Gladiolus, his immersive installation that transforms the gallery into a vivid, theatrical environment where celebration and spectacle give way to a deeper meditation on surveillance, state violence and the coded systems of oppression hidden in plain sight.

Masó is a Cuban-born, Afro-Latinx conceptual artist living and working in Miami. Born in Havana in 1988, Masó works across photography, painting, performance and installation. His work examines systems of power, patterns of control and violence in scenarios of repression, drawing on his personal experiences in Cuba, Japan and the United States.

“I am more than excited. This is fantastic,” Masó said. “I want to give thanks to the museum – all the people who helped me to bring my proposal to life.”

The Florida Prize in Contemporary Art exhibition is now on view at OMA through August 23 and features works by Masó, Maria Theresa Barbist, Rose Marie Cromwell, Jason Hackenwerth, Katie Hargrave & Meredith Laura Lynn (duo), Jessy Nite, Charo Oquet, Ema Ri, Mette Tommerup, and We Are Nice’n Easy (duo of Allison Matherly & Jeffrey Noble). These artists explore themes of cultural significance stemming from their various origins, and from language, history, spirituality and literature, tracing how ideas shape our contemporary world.

“This is the 12th Florida Prize in Contemporary Art that we have hosted at the museum, and we are so proud again to be welcoming such a wonderfully talented group of artists. I think you will agree the galleries look spectacular,” said OMA CEO Cathryn Mattson. “We couldn’t do this without incredible sponsors who step up and make all this happen.”

Like with previous years, the exhibition will also feature a dynamic lineup of public programs throughout the summer, from hands-on workshops and live performances to artist-led conversations, creating new opportunities for audiences to experience the work in meaningful and engaging ways.

Visitors are encouraged to experience the exhibition and vote for their favorite artist all summer long. The “People’s Choice” award includes a $5,000 prize and will be announced at the exhibition’s closing ceremony on August 20.

For more information on the Florida Prize in Contemporary Art, the artists, OMA’s sponsors, and the opening preview party, please visit www.omart.org.

Funds from the event will support the Florida Prize exhibition and education programs.   

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Photography by Zaire Aranguren, Rheo Creative

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